Ashes
by The Random Ninja
Summary: I don’t know what's going to happen next, but I know that someday I will be with Minako again. And until that day, I will wait. I would wait for an eternity to be with her. Mars X Venus. Shoujo-ai.


**Pairing:**Rei/Minako (Mars/Venus)

**Disclaimer:**I do not own Sailor Moon or any of the characters in this fanfic.

**Warnings:**Shoujo-ai, character death, one cuss word...

**Writer's Notes:**I've been wanting to write a Reinako fic for some time now, since they're my favorite shoujo-ai pairing. Though, I write/read waaaaaay too much shounen-ai (KuroFai) and I'm afraid that Rei came out sounding too...masculine. Though, that could just be my overwhelming paranoia talking.

I think that Rei and Minako are pretty in character in this, though, if you don't they are, please tell me. I need (constructive) criticism to help me improve on my writing skills.

Aaaaand, this is unbeta-ed. feel free to turn around and run away screaming.

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It's the funniest thing, realizing that you're in love. You can realize it at the strangest of times, like on a battlefield, for example. In the midst of combat, where tension runs high and simply _staying alive _is all one should have on their mind. That's where I realized that I was in love.

Though right now, as claws and arrows hurtle past my face, inches from scarring me, I really wished I realized that I was in love with Aino Minako somewhere other than here.

You see, ever since we learned of our senshi duties, we couldn't quite connect with others the same way we connected with other senshi. Boyfriends would come and go, always leaving us on account of our constant disappearances or sudden interruptions of dates to go fight evil and whatnot.

But we, the senshi, still had each other in the end. We all understood that protecting Usagi was our first and most important duty. Protecting our princess would always be our number priority, something only we could understand. And all of the senshi were fine with the setup. I know I love Usagi with all my heart, and she was the center of my universe. Despite her crybaby antics, we all loved her unconditionally.

I was okay with protecting her, making sure that Usagi was always safe, and pushing everything else aside for her. But, it got really lonely living that way. I had no one but the other senshi for real company. Which wasn't bad, but they were only friends, and I longed for something more than that.

That's where Minako came in. We were both lonely and after one night of some serious heart to heart "girl talk", we came to the conclusion that Haruka and Michiru must be on to something. Both of them knew of the duties of a senshi, but together, they wouldn't have to experience that aching loneliness. They could protect Usagi and still be happily in love. Something clicked that night between Minako and I, and we decided to give the whole "relationship" thing a try.

And so, Hino Rei and Aino Minako became an official couple. The other senshi were very supportive, causing Minako and I to blush at their gushing and cooing.

I would hold Minako's hand dutifully whenever we went out, but it felt awkward at first. Weird even. But then Minako would just grin at me, blushing lightly, and everything would feel just right. I could see right into Minako whenever she smiled, I could see into her soul. And that smile told me that she had actual feelings for me, that she really cared about how I felt for her.

What exactly did I feel for her? I knew I cared about her, but I never expected _those _kind of feelings. I knew that if we weren't senshi, we wouldn't be in a relationship at all, we probably wouldn't even know each other.

But here we were, a content couple. It didn't matter if we were polar opposites, I being a stoic, unemotional, raven-haired snob, and her being an easygoing, hyperactive, ditzy blonde. It didn't make much sense, but we went together well. We…clicked. And I felt happy whenever I was with Minako. Like the planets had aligned, like sparks had gone off in my head. It felt so right.

We took things slow, though. It took us months to get our first kiss in and we hadn't gone much farther than that. We would sleep over at each other's houses, content to just lay in each other's arms.

And now, in the middle of an intense battle, I wish we had gone farther, taken some chances so we would regret nothing. Because I know that I will have something to regret, because I know, _I know_, someone isn't going to make it out of this battle. My intuition tells me so.

I turn around, glancing around wildly for Usagi. I see a flash of bright blonde hair, the body attached falling to the ground, blooding tainting golden locks. For a brief moment I think it's Usagi who has been injured and I begin to panic. I rush to the fallen soldier's side, catching her before she hits the ground. Tired blue eyes look up at me and I immediately see that it's Minako, not Usagi. Her red hair ribbon had fallen out. Without it, she looked so much like the princess we had sworn to protect.

Minako smiles up at me. "I guess I couldn't protect everyone in the end after all, huh Rei?" She laughs. "I couldn't even protect myself." She closes her eyes after that and grows eerily silent. My breath catches in my throat and I'm panicking because this is Minako and she never gets seriously hurt and she's getting so cold right now and her breathing is so choppy and short and it's Minako and she can't just die, she can't just leave me like this, not now, not now, not now that I love her. I love her. I love her.

I love her.

I, Hino Rei, love her, Aino Minako.

Turning my head to the side, I catch sight of those hideous monsters that were attacking us. Those terrible, revolting, horrendous creatures that had hurt my friends, My Minako, and I summon every inch of power I have and soon the whole place is covered in flames. The other senshi are standing off to the sidelines. They are smart enough to know when to take cover and had ran off when they had seen that undeniable raging fire in my eyes. They stand in a precise line, their heads hung.

I looked back at Minako, who was now ice to the touch. I choked back tears as I took in her ashy complexion.

"Mi…na…ko…" She opens her eyes again and she is too tired to smile now. I feel hot tears trickling down my cheeks now.

"Rei…we'll be reborn…over…and over again…and each time…I'll find…you…and each time…I'll…fall…in love…with you…" Her words trail off and her skin turns so damn cold and her body is stiff and unmoving. I don't have to check her pulse to know that she's dead.

I'm silent for a moment, for just a moment. I let the shock of my loss sink in and then I'm sobbing her name, screaming "Minako" over and over again. I'm hysterical and the other senshi stand behind me, letting me cry.

I don't know what happens next. Right now is the present, with me holding Minako's body in my arms and mourning for my lost love. I don't know what will happen, but I know that someday I will be with Minako again. And until that day, I will wait.

I would wait for an eternity to be with her.

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Hugs and kisses to those who review. ^__^


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